Electric melting furnace



May 28, 1940. c. F. wElsGERBER 2,202,362

ELECTRIC MELTING FURNACE Filed Jan. 4, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7.1. l /3 Y @l I 'Il 1 I! Il {,/1`\ 5 L- F- L a /w J a l .a .l lg y/ I 6 J 13 7 .2. /4 5 j! f w 'v'ffwilllll a M wu Lr] o May 28, 1940.

C. F. WEISGERBER ELECTRIC MELTING FURNACE Filed Jan. 4, 1938 Patented May 28, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC BIELTING FURNACE Application January 4, 1938, Serial No. 183,267

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an electric melting furnace for the purpose of melting various metals prior to casting, or otherwise fashioning the metal.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel electric melting furnace and particularly to provide a novel means of cooling certain parts of the furnace'.

Another object is to provide a novel roof construction including a cooling ring, by means of which the upper portion of the furnace is cooled.

Another object is to provide a novel mounting and counter balancing means for the door of the furnace, whereby the door is easily and effectively operated, or may be quickly removed for the purposes of repair-of the door, or the furnace.

Another object is to provide a novel water manifold and furnace shell cooling ring.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawings, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a front elevation of the furnace.

Figure 2 is a side view of the same viewed from the right of Figure l.

Figure 3 is a top plan View of the furnace.

Figure 4 is a vertical elevation viewed from the right of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the vdrawings, the numeral I indicates the body of the furnace, which is preferably cylindrical in shape, the lower portion being preferably curved, substantially as shown. The furnace is tiltable about a horizontal axis and for this purpose arcuate bearing 2, 3 are provided. However, the details of these bearings 4are usual and well known and the details thereof form no part of this invention.

The furnace is tilted through suitable gear means 4, and this gear is also usual and well known. A roof 5 encloses the top of the refractory lining of the body I, and this roof is preferably formed of refractory material, such as brick or the like. The roof refractories -5 rest on, and are retained by, a ring 6. 'Ihis roof ring rests on the upper edge of the refractory lining of the body I, and is hollow as shown at 1, to provide an annular water course through which coolscribed. 'I'he roof ring 6 is integrally formed and is preferably cast from a suitable metal.

The electrodes 8 extend into the furnace throughl ing water is circulated, as will be further described. A water manifold I0 encircles the body I adjacent the upper end thereof, and is preferably immediately below the ring B. The manifold I0 forms a continuous band around the body, which thus stiffens or reinforces the body at the upper edge. Various cooling pipes extend from this manifold to cool parts of the furnace as will be further described.

A charging door II is slidably mounted in guides I2 which guides are formed on, or attached to, the body I. The door rests against a hollow jamb jacket which protects the charging door, the refractory jambs, and the arch. Cooling water is circulated through this jamb jacket, as will be subsequently described.

The charging door II is operated from a horizontal shaft I3, which shaft is journaled on posts I4, I4, the posts I4 are removably mounted in the upper end of the guide, or frame I2 and when necessary, these posts, together with the shaft, and the door II, can be lifted off the furnace. The door II is supported on the cables I5, the cables are attached to sheaves I6 on the shaft I3.

The door is counter-balanced by a pair of Weights I'I, which extend into verticaly cylinders I8 on the body of the furnace.l The Weights Il are each supported on a cable I9, which is attached to a sheave 20 on the shaft I3. The shaft I3 may be rotated by means of a hand wheel 2l at each end of the shaft. With this arrangement the door II can be easily raised, or lowered with little effort, since the counter-weights I1 counter-balance the weight of the door, and consequently little physical effort is required to move the door.

In cooling the jamb jacket I2, a pipe 22 extends from the manifold I0 and thence into the jamb jacket, substantially as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The Water passes from the frame through the pipe 23, and thence into the ring 6. Water circulates through the ring and is conducted therefrom through the pipe 24. It is understood that all of the pipes hereinafter described extend from a pump to the various parts to be cooled, and the return pipe extends into a suitable reservoir, all of this pumping apparatus being usual and well known.

The electrode coolers 9 are each cooled by circulating water therethrough, and for that purpose each cooler is provided with an intake water line 25, and an outlet pipe 26. The inlet pipes each extend from the manifold I0.

' Having described my invention, I claim:

1. An electric melting furnace comprising a body. a roof enclosing the top of the body, a

ring mounted on the body, said roei* being mounted on the ring, said ring having a Water course therein, a water manifold which acts :as a stiifening ring mounted on the body and errcircling the saine, electrode coolers on the roof, and water conduit means extending from the manifold to the coolers, a door, a frame carried by the body in which the door is mounted. water conduits in the frame` and water pipes extending from the stiiening ring to the frame.

2. An electric melting furnace, comprising a body, a roof formed of refractory material and enclosing the top of the body, a roof ring resting on the top of the body, said roof being mounted on the ring, said roof ring being an integral body having an inner water course, a water manifold encircling the body immediately below the root ring, said water manifold acting as a stidening ring for the upper portion of the body, and water conduits extending from the water manifold to the roof ring.

3. An electric melting furnace, comprising a body, a roof formed of refractory material and enclosing the top of the body, a roof -ringl resting on the top of the body, said roof being mounted on the ring, said roof ring being an integral body having an inner water course, a water manifold encircling the body immediately below the roof ring, said water manifold acting as a stiifening ring for the upper portion of the body, electrode coolers on the roof, and water conduits extending from the manifold to the coolers.

CHARLES F. WEISGERBER. 

